What is the SAT exam?
SAT stands for Scholastic Aptitude Test. College Board, a private, not for profit corporation in the USA conducts the SAT exam. College Board essentially owns and publishes the SAT. SAT scores are used by many BUT NOT ALL, colleges in the USA to grant admission to their undergraduate courses. Leading colleges and universities have developed elaborate admission processes for their undergraduate courses.
Every year the mammoth admission exercise that starts with the filling of online application forms on the college or university website. In the exam form, the universities and colleges expect you to provide details that according to the colleges and universities are important for the admission decision process.
Most ranked universities in the USA require scores of SAT or ACT as a part of the admissions process. All the leading colleges and universities in the US consider SAT score as a mandatory requirement for the admission process.
Why do colleges consider SAT scores?
With students coming to the US from all over America and the world, the colleges need a criterion to help compare students across different boards, states and countries and educational backgrounds. SAT fulfils this need very well.
The SAT exam measures the college readiness of high school student and provides colleges with a common data pool to compare the suitability or merit of certain students over others. College studies in the USA require you to read write and understand the standard English language.
Why Should an Indian student consider taking the SAT exam?
While SAT score is not a necessary condition for admission to all US colleges or universities, it is advisable to take the SAT if you wish to apply to the leading US universities, colleges or courses. There are other reasons to take the SAT exam for Indian students
- More than 25 universities in India accept the SAT score for admission to their liberal arts and humanities courses. Some examples are Ashoka University, Shiv Nadar University, OP Jindal university etc.
- Several universities in the USA offer attractive scholarships and grants based on SAT scores. Depending on the university and your score, you could end up saving lacs of the rupee.
- SAT is simpler than many other undergraduate college admission tests in India. The preparation time may not be more than 6 to 8 months.
- College board offers unlimited free score sends to Indian universities- a facility that they don’t provide for the US universities.
SAT is not the only admission criterion
Admission officers will look at SAT score, student’s academic performance in high school, the subjects you took in high school, letters of recommendation from teachers or mentors, extracurricular activities before they make admission offers. They may even conduct admission interviews before making final admission officers.
As a thumb rule, though your SAT score is not the only factor affecting your admission to a college or university, it is an extremely important factor affecting admission decision. The higher your score, the higher your likelihood of admission plus the more options you have to take admissions.
What is tested on the SAT exam?
There are two compulsory sections in the SAT exam and one optional section. The compulsory sections are :
- Math Test
- Section with calculator
- Section without calculator
- Evidence-Based reading and writing
- Reading Test
- Writing and Language test
The optional segment is the essay segment which one may or may not take depending on whether any of the colleges you are applying to, requires it or not. The essay requires you to read a passage and analyse the author’s argument.
Duration of the SAT test
The total duration of the SAT test is around 3 hours if you are not taking the essay section and 3 hours and 50 minutes if you are taking the essay section. The reading section is for a total of 65 minutes and has 52 questions; While the writing and language test is of 35 minutes with 4 passages and 44 multiple-choice questions.
The Math section has 58 questions to be answered in 80 minutes. The no calculator section has 20 questions to be done in 25 minutes while the calculator section has 38 questions to be done in 55 minutes.
If you choose to write the essay, then you have an additional 50 minutes to answer
Scoring on the SAT test
The new SAT pattern was implemented in the year 2016. The total score that anyone can get in the SAT exam ranges from 400 to 1600. For both the sections, Math and Evidence-based reading and writing, the score ranges from 200 to 800. The SAT essay scores range from 2 to 8.
Cost of taking the SAT test
The cost of taking the SAT general exam in India without the essay section is around 94 USD and with an essay section around 106 USD. This amounts to around Rs 7000 and Rs 7800 in INR as of September 2020.
Important FAQs regarding SAT
Still, have more queries regarding the SAT exam? inspect the detailed SAT FAQs for your benefit.
What’s the validity of the SAT?
The validity of your SAT score is for a period of 5 years, from the day of the declaration of your SAT Results.
Am I able to take the SAT exam after the 12th?
There are not any specific age criteria laid down by the College Board for appearing for your SAT exam. However, since SAT is for admission to undergraduate programs candidates are advised to seem for his or her SAT while in standard 11 or 12.
Is that the SAT examination within the US and Asia the same?
Both, the SAT examination held within the US and Asia would be in English and contain the precise number of questions. However, the college Board uses different versions of the test in a single day.
Do Indian colleges take admission through SAT scores?
All Indian Universities that are affiliated with the India education Alliance, introduced by the College Board are accepting SAT scores for admissions. For an inventory of Indian academic universities accepting SAT scores.
SAT Exam 2021 Registration Process:
Online Registration (Steps)
- Visit the College Board’s official website.
- Create your account.
- Submit all the specified details.
- Choose which exam you would like to offer together with your nearest test centre.
- Upload your clear photograph.
- Pay the appliance fee.
Registration by Mail (Steps)
- you initially need ‘The Student Registration Guide for the SAT and SAT Subject Tests’, which is out there at schools.
- The guide includes a registration form and a return envelope.
- the form must be sent along with a demand draft.
- The local representative of the SAT in India is that the USIEF. The mailed forms are going to be directed to their regional office.
SAT 2021 Exam Dates:-
The SAT exam-conducting body, College Board, announces SAT exam dates, registration deadlines, and result dates. Please undergo the SAT Test Dates below and register for the upcoming SAT in 2021 as per your convenience and choose a test date that suits you best.
| Test Date | Register by | SAT Result date |
| March 13, 2021 | February 12, 2021 | March 26, 2021 |
| May 8, 2021 | April 8, 2021 | May 21, 2021 |
| August 28, 2021 | July 29, 2021 | September 20, 2021 |
| October 2, 2021 | September 3, 2021 | October 15, 2021 |
| December 4, 2021 | November 5, 2021 | December 17, 2021 |
For late registrations and test centre location, visit College Board’s official website https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register/international
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